It’s not learning the playbook, or figuring out where he’s supposed to be.
Trey Burton said the toughest thing about changing positions is getting used to all the hitting in practice.
After sharing time with John Brantley and Jordan Reed at quarterback last season, Burton’s role has changed drastically heading into 2011.
Head coach Will Muschamp and new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis plan to utilize Burton in a more versatile role; what coaches are calling the F-position — a blend of fullback, slot receiver and short-yardage running back.
“He fits very well here with what we want to do,” said Muschamp, who thought about moving Burton to safety in the spring before reconsidering.
“He’s going to do so many things for us. He’s a guy that is going to be catching the football, he’s going to be blocking, he’s going to be carrying it. … It is kind of limitless what he’s going to be doing in our offense.”
As a freshman last year, he rushed 75 times for 349 yards and 11 touchdowns and had 32 catches for 210 yards and a touchdown. But that was mostly as a quarterback out of mainly spread formations.
His job in Weis’ offense will be to motion all over the field and create mismatches, sometimes lining up opposite an outside linebacker or even picking up a defensive lineman in pass protection.
“I’m just trying to do whatever I can to get on the field, and I think I’ll be pretty important to the offense,” Burton said, adding he’s comfortable with anything the coaches throw at him.
Burton, listed at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, rushed for 28 touchdowns during his junior year of high school and said he will have no hesitation to pound the ball inside. He figures to be the go-to guy when Florida faces a short-yardage situation.
With the reported resurgence of Chris Rainey and the return of Jeff Demps for his senior season, all indications point to the Gators backfield as the strength of the offense.
Asked about Burton’s role, and the combination of talent in the backfield, Rainey, exuding confidence, summed it up.
“We’re going to be giving a lot of defenses hell this year.”
